The commission approves the rezoning necessary and waives the need for a nearby road's completion.
By BRIDGET HALL GRUMET
Published January 15, 2004
Everything seems to be falling in place for a proposed cluster of shops near the Oakstead development's entrance in Land O'Lakes.
The County Commission voted Tuesday evening to rezone 13.83 acres on State Road 54 for neighborhood commercial use, which allows shops such as cafes, bookstores, dry cleaners and pharmacies.
Commissioners limited the property to 100,000 square feet of stores. But if Oakstead developer Don Buck buys the land from owner Clare Barnard, as planned, and merges it with another 8 acres of general commercial property, he can fit a small shopping center anchored by a grocery store, consultant Fred Lowndes said.
"You're probably looking at some kind of a shopping center with a regular Publix or Kash n' Karry, but not a Wal-Mart or anything like that," Lowndes, a consultant for Oakstead, told the Pasco Times.
The rezoning came on the heels of another victory for Oakstead on Tuesday. Commissioners decided Oakstead could start commercial development near the community's entrance on SR 54, even though two legs of nearby Lake Patience Road remain unconnected.
The county plans to connect the two road segments, although construction could be three years away. In the meantime, County Administrator John Gallagher said, the developer's plans should not be stalled because the county hasn't connected the road.
Bridget Hall Grumet covers Pasco County government. She can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6244 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6244. Her e-mail address is bhall@sptimes.com
